1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing and more particularly pertains to preventing injuries to players and spectators from inadvertently released bats.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of baseball bat grip accessories is known in the prior art. More specifically, baseball bat grip accessories heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of enhancing a user""s grip on a bat are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,084,938 to Kapanowski discloses a safety handgrip. U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,428 to Bartkowicz discloses a rotating grip for a baseball bat. U.S. Pat. No. 2,984,486 to Jones discloses a slip-proof sleeve for a baseball bat handle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,885 to Heo discloses a terry cloth golf club grip.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing preventing injuries to players and spectators from inadvertently released bats.
In this respect, the baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing injuries to players and spectators from inadvertently released bats.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing which can be used for preventing injuries to players and spectators from inadvertently released bats. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of baseball bat grip accessories now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a new and improved baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing. In its broadest context, the system consists of a baseball bat and an attachment member. The bat has a far end, a near end and a generally cylindrical hitting area adjacent to the far end. The hitting area has a diameter of between about two and three inches. The bat has a generally cylindrical gripping area adjacent to the near end with a diameter of between about xc2xe inch and 1xc2xc inch. The bat has a tapering transition zone between the far and near ends. The bat also has a knob of a short axial length at the near end. The knob has a diameter between about 1xc2xe and 2xc2xc inches. An attachment member is fabricated of a one piece construction from an elastomeric material. The attachment member has a ring with an inner diameter of between about xc2xe inch and 1xc2xc inches and an outer diameter of between about 1 and 1xc2xd inches. The attachment member has a radially extending short planar projection extending outwardly therefrom for a distance of between about 1.5 and 3.0 inches. A long planar projection extends parallel with the axis of the bat as an extension of the end of the short projection remote from the ring. The long projection extends for a distance of between about 3.0 and 4.0 inches. The ring is adapted to be stretched over the knob of the bat and positioned around the gripping area adjacent to the knob. In an operative orientation a user positions his hands around the gripping area of the bat with the ulnar aspect of his lower hand resting against the ring and short projection and the dorsum and fingers of his lower hand resting adjacent the long projection. The long and short projections preclude separation of the bat and attachment member from the batter""s lower hand in the event of inadvertent release of the bat by the batter. A first alternate embodiment of the system includes a split positioned in the ring of the attachment member at a location diametrically opposed from the short projection of the ring. A second alternate embodiment of the system includes a split positioned in the ring of the attachment member at a location diametrically opposed from the short projection of the ring and also includes pile type fastening means on the exterior surface of the ring adjacent the split. A strap with pile type fastening means is affixed to the exterior surface of the ring adjacent the split. The pile type fastening means of the strap and ring are couplable to tightly secure the ring around the gripping area of a bat.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing which has all the advantages of the prior art baseball bat grip accessories and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing which is of durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing for preventing injuries to players and spectators from inadvertently released bats.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved baseball batting system for abating accidental release of a bat from a player""s hand following a swing. An attachment member is included in the present invention. The attachment member includes a ring which has an interior aperture adapted to be located on the handle end of a bat adjacent to the knob. The ring has a short radial projection which extends outwardly therefrom and a long axial projection which extends parallel with the axis of the bat as an extension of the short projection remote from the ring. This configuration defines a region between the bat and the short and long projections for the receipt of a batter""s hands.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.